The  world  God  wants 
STUDIES   IN  JSRJSMIAH 


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THE   WORLD    GOD    WANTS 

Studies  in  Jeremiah 


by    HOWARD    TILLMAN    KUIST 


Hible  Study  is  always  a  rijiorous 
discipline.  This  may  be  true  because 
most  of  us  would  rather  talk  than 
listen,  and  Hible  Study  is  listening  to 
God.  The  followinj^  inducti\e  ques- 
tions are  designed  to  induce  a  listen- 
ing mood  by  encourajiinj^  first-hand 
observation  of  the  Hible  text,  or  by 
promoting  personal  reflection.  These 
(juestions,  in  turn,  should  lead  to  first- 
hand sharing  in  the  group  discussions. 
The  cjuestions  may  be  used  also  by 
the  leaders  to  direct  the  consideration 
of  the  group. 

It  is  not  expected  that  any  student 
will  want  to  consider  every  question. 
The  questions  are  sufficiently  varied 
to  appeal  to  a  variety  of  interests. 
However,  it  is  suggested  that  the 
(juestions  relating  to  the  historic  situ- 
ation be  considered  first;  then  those 
designed  to  help  recogni/e  the  signifi- 
cance of  Jeremiah's  experience.  The 
(juestions  on  the  New  Testament  pas- 
sages are  designed  to  confront  the  Old 
Testament  situation  with  the  New 
IVstament  Gospel.  Only  so  can  the 
relevance     of     the     Old     Testament 


proclamation  to  the  present-day  situ- 
ation of  the  Church  truly  be  seen. 

Introduction 

The  Old  1  estament  Proclamation 
and  the  New  Testament  Gospel. 

1 .  What  deeds  of  God  described  in 
the  Old  Testament  were  used  by 
Jeremiah  to  urge  God's  claims  upon 
His  people? 

See,  for  example,  Jeremiah  2 :4-S ; 
7:12-15;  11:1-8;  16:14,15;  -U:12- 
16;  .V5:12-17.  Compare  with  Deuter- 
onomy 4:1-40;  6:1-25;  8:1-20. 

2.  To  what  corresponding  deeds 
did  the  New  Testament  apostles 
point  ? 

See,  for  example.  Acts  2:14-24,  25- 
.^6,  37-42;  7:1-53;   13:16-43. 

3.  Why  did  Martin  Luther  consid- 
er that  God's  calling  and  the  "earthly 
obligation  of  work"  are  inseparably 
united  ? 

4.  Why  does  Kinar  Hilling  claim 
that  our  calling  as  Christians  implies 
something  beyond  the  sum  of  our  im- 
mediate human  duties?  (See  Our 
C.aUint/,  pp.  5-11.) 


1.  God  Seeks  and  Finds  a  Voice 
Jeremiah    1;   Matthew    16:13-28 

Jereniidli  and  the  IHsiorii    Situation 


Jeremiah  1:1-3:  How  is  the  mo- 
ment of  Jeremiah's  call  in  626  B.C. 
related  to  other  significant  events  in 
Josiah's  reifjn  ?  (See  II  Kin^s  22,23; 
II  Chronicles  34,35.) 

Where  is  Anathoth  (Jeremiah 
1  :1)  and  for  what  is  this  place  not- 
able? (Joshua  21:13-19;  I  Kings 
2:26,27.  See  also  I  Kings  1:5-53.) 

In  view  of  Josiah's  reforms,  is  it 
strange  that  the  Anathoth  priests 
should  have  opposed  Jeremiah  (  Jere- 
miah 11  :  18-23)? 

1:4-10:  What  personal  touches, 
what  wonl  pictures,  what  symbols 
testif\    to    the    reality'   of   Jeremiah's 


experience . 

1:11,12:  For  almond  tree,  read 
"early-awake  tree."  What  meaning 
did  this  spring-time  experience  have 
for  Jeremiah  ? 

1  :  13-1  7:  What  ominous  threats  are 
involved  in  Jeremiah's  vision  of  the 
boiling  cauldron  ? 

1:18,19:  What  ciualities  of  Jere- 
miah's character  are  suggested  by  the 
pictures  of  the  fortified  city,  the  iron 
pillar,  and  the  brazen  walls? 

1  :19:  Of  what  other  Bible  charac- 
ters or  situations  are  you  reminded  by 
the  words  of  God  to  Jeremiah,  "I  am 
with  thee"? 


The  Significance  of  Jeremiah's  Experience 


\Vhat  elements  in  Jeremiah's  self- 
portrait  (Chapter  1)  make  his  sketch 
so  striking?  Which  element  do  you 
consider  to  be  the  most  striking? 

What  value  has  the  symbolism  of 
Jeremiah  1  for  analyzing  the  various 
levels  of  the  prophet's  consciousness? 

What  were  the  sources  of  conflict 
in  Jeremiah's  personal  life  according 
to  Chapter  1  ?  What  clues  are  sug- 
gested to  resolve  these  conflicts? 

How  do  the  visions  of  Jeremiah  in 
Chapter  1  indicate  that  he  retained 
his  consciousness,  his  moral  judgment, 
and  his  power  to  think  during  the  ex- 
periences attending  his  call? 

How  far  does  Jeremiah's  character 
agree  with  the  character  of  his  vi- 
sions? Why  can  no  man  have  high 
visions  and  lead  a  low  life? 

How    far    would    Jeremiah    agree 


with  Matthew  Arnold's  statement. 
"To  tunes  we  did  not  call  our  being 
must  keep  chime"? 

What  human  conditions  must  be 
met  if  a  man  is  to  hear  the  voice  of 
(W? 

With  what  attempts  to  portra\ 
Jeremiah  in  art  are  you  familiar? 
Michelangelo  (Fresco  of  Sistine 
Chapel)?  John  Sargent  (Frieze  of 
the  Prophets)  ?  Frank  Salisbury?  Guy 
Rowe  (In  Our  Inuif/e)^  In  which  is 
he  most   faithfully  portrayed? 

How  does  Franz  \Verfel  interpret 
Jeremiah's  awareness  of  (jod  ?  See 
Hearken  to  the  J  oice  (\'iking  Press, 
1938),  Chapter  5:  "The  Voice  With- 
in and  the  V^oice  Without."  In  what 
sense  can  it  be  said  that  "the  voice  of 
the  Lord  had  found  the  soul  of  a 
man  for  a  sounding  board"  (p.97)  ? 


The  Old  Testament  Situation  in  the  Li(jht  of  the  New  Testament  Gospel 


Why  is  it  that  no  prophet  is  accept- 
able in  his  own  country?  Compare 
Jeremiah  11:18-23  with' Luke  4:16- 
30. 

Why  should  some  people  have 
th()uji;ht  that  Jesus  was  Jeremiah  re- 
turned to  life   (Matthew   16:14)? 

What  advantages  did  the  disciples, 
like  Peter,  have  over  Jeremiah,  to  un- 
derstand God  and  His  wavs  (Mat- 
thew 16:15-17)? 

What  certainties  did  Jesus  promise 
Peter,  which  correspond  to  those 
which  came  to  Jeremiah  at  the  time 
of  his  call  (Matthew  16:18-20)? 

In  what  sense  was  Jeremiah's  call 
as  exactinji  for  him  as  was  Jesus'  call 


to  His  disciples  for  total  commitment 
(Matthew   16:21-28)? 

Why  was  Peter  not  minding  the 
thinjjs  of  God  but  the  things  of  men. 
in  his  rebuke  of  Jesus? 

According  to  Jeremiah  1  and  Mat- 
thew 16:24-26,  upon  what  does  God 
place  supreme  value  in  human  person- 
ality? Why? 

How  was  the  cross  Jesus  called  his 
disciples  to  bear  like  or  different  from 
that   of   Jeremiah's? 

What  people  do  you  know  who 
have  lost  their  "souls"  by  trying  ^  i 
save  their  lives?  What  others  do  you 
know  who  have  saved  their  souls  by 
being  willing  to  lose  their  lives? 


2.  God's  Expectations  Are  High 
Jeremiah   26:1-19;   7:1-15;   Luke   19:45-20:8 

Jeremiah  and  the  Historic  Situation 


Jeremiah  26:1-7:  What  was  the 
intent  of  Jeremiah's  temple  sermon, 
and  who  were  his  hearers? 

26:8-9:  Why  did  his  hearers  resent 
what  he  said  about  Shiloh?  (For  Shi- 
l.)h.  see  I  Samuel  4:10-12;  22.) 

26:10-15:  What  was  the  charge 
brought  against  Jeremiah  and  the  es- 


sence of  Jeremiah's  defense  before  the 
princes  ? 

26:16-19:  By  whom  and  how  was 
Jeremiah  vindicated? 

What  notes  are  added  to  the  signi- 
ficance of  Jeremiah's  message  in  7:1- 
15  not  foimd  in  26:1-19? 


rhe   Sif/nificance   of  Jeremiah's   Experience 


Vox  what  was  Jeremiah  pleading 
when  he  urged  the  people  to  walk  in 
(lod's  law  (lorah)  and  to  heed 
(jod's  servants,  the  prophets  (26:4)  ? 

Why  should  Jeremiah  have  called 
the  catchword  of  the  priests  about  the 
Temple  (7:4,8)  "lying  words"? 

Why  did  Jeremiah  insist  that  to 
amend  their  wavs  (7:3)  the  covenant 


people  must  relieve  the  oppressed,  and 
protect  the  weak  (7:6,7)  ? 

Why  is  a  faith  like  that  advocated 
bv  the  temple  priests,  which  separates 
the  worship  of  Ciod  from  one's  rela- 
tions to  his  fellow  men,  no  real  faith? 

A  century  before  Jeremiah's  time, 
Isaiah  had  proclaimed  that  God 
would  protect  the  Holy  City  and  its 


Temple  (Isaiah  31  :4-9).  Why  should 
Jeremiah  now  have  challenp:ed  this 
proclamation? 

What  did  Jeremiah  mean  when  he 
declared  that  the  people  had  made 
God's  house  a  "den  of  robbers" 
(7:8-11)? 

In  what  sense  could  it  be  said  that 


God   had  been   "rising  up  early  and 
speaking"  (7:13;  26:5)? 

What  prejudices  of  the  people  had 
Jeremiah  violated  in  his  temple  ser- 
mon ?  Why  will  a  man  "more  easily 
burn  down  his  own  house  than  get 
rid  of  his  prejudices"  (Descartes)  ? 


The  Old  Testament  Situation  in  the  Lif/ht  of  the  New  Testament  Gospel 


How  is  the  situation  faced  by 
Jesus  when  he  had  entered  Jerusa- 
lem and  had  cleansed  the  Temple  like 
and  unlike  Jeremiah's  (Luke  19:45- 
20:8)? 

What  is  authority?  What  was 
Jeremiah's  authority  (Jeremiah 
26:9,12)?  What  kind  of  authority 
is  implied  in  the  question  addressed  to 
Jesus  by  the  chief  priests,  and  the 
scribes,  and  the  elders  (Luke  20:2)  ? 
What  kind  of  authority  did  Jesus  ac- 
tually represent  (Luke  20:8)?  How 
does  the  parable  of  the  vineyard  give 
his  answer  (Luke  20:9-18)? 

To  what  perils  are  people  exposed 
who  separate  the  so-called  "sacred" 
from  the  "secular"  in  life,  or  who  at- 


tempt to  substitute  "private  mysti- 
cism" for  "public  obligation"  before 
God? 

Why  must  it  be  that  "God  is  Lord 
of  all  or  Lord  not  at  all"? 

What  other  examples  in  history  can 
you  call  of  individuals  who  like  Jere- 
miah have  dared  to  say,  "Hut  as  for 
me,  behold  I  am  in  your  hand  .  .  ." 
(Jeremiah  26:14)  ? 

Why  could  neither  Jeremiah  nor 
Jesus  aliord  to  make  a  move  at  con- 
ciliation with  their  opponents? 

When,  if  ever,  can  Christians  com- 
promise so  as  to  avoid  open  conflict? 
On  what  matters  can  there  be  no 
compromise?  How  are  Christians  to 
decide  ? 


3.  God  and  the  Nations 
Jeremiah  25  and  46;  Mark   12:13-17 


At  the  fall  of  Ninevah,  612  B.C., 
the  Assyrian  empire  was  destroyed, 
never  to  rise  again.  Egypt  made  a  new 
bid  for  world  empire.  Pharoah- 
necoh's  mercenary  legions  marched 
northward.  King  Josiah  of  Judah,  at- 
tempting to  cut  him  ofif  at  iVIegiddo, 


perished  (608  B.C.).  The  Egyptians 
continued  northward.  At  Carchemish 
on  the  Euphrates,  Nebuchadnezzar 
of  Babylon  decisively  defeated  the 
Egyptians  (605  B.C.).  This  was  the 
fourth  year  of  King  Jehoiakim  of 
Judah. 


Jeremiah  and  the  Historic  Situation 


According  to  Jeremiah  25:1,2  and 
46:1,2,  how  are  the  prophet's  mes- 
sages dated  in  relation  to  this  deci- 
sive battle   (Carchemish)? 


25 -3-7 :  What  is  Jeremiah's  pri- 
mary concern  at  this  critical  moment  ? 
What  does  he  mean  bv  "return"  and 
"dwell"? 


25:8-11  :  Why  did  the  prophet  re- 
fer to  Nebuchadnezzar  as  God's  "ser- 
vant"? 

25:15:  At  this  point  in  the  Greek 
\'ersion,  Jeremiah  chapters  46-51  are 
inserted.  What  nations  are  addressed 
in  these  chapters  and  how  do  they 
correspond  to  those  mentioned  in 
25:15-29? 

25:15-29?  What  does  Jeremiah 
mean  by  passinji  "this  cup  of  the  wine 
of  wrath"  from  nation  to  nation? 
How  much  of  Jeremiah's  world 
comes  under  the  scope  of  this  act? 


25:30-38:  What  does  Jeremiah 
consider  God's  "controversy  with  the 
nations"  to  be?  And  why  does  He 
press  this  controversy? 

46:1-12:  How  does  the  prophet  de- 
scribe the  situation  before  the  battle 
of  Carchemish?  What  does  Pharaoh- 
necoh  mean  by  his  boast,  "I  will  rise 
up,  I  will  cover  the  earth"?  How  does 
Jeremiah  answer  him? 

46:13-26:  What  vivid  imagery 
does  Jeremiah  use  to  describe  the 
Egyptian  defeat  ? 


The  Significance  of  J eremiah's  Experience 


In  world  crises,  what  factors  beside 
the  political  are  essentially  involved? 
AVhich  is  the  most  important,  and 
why?  Which  do  governments  usually 
consider  most  important?  What  did 
Jeremiah  insist  was  most  important, 
and  why? 

According  to  Jeremiah,  what  was 
wrong  with  his  world  ?  To  what 
would  he  point  as  the  real  center  of 
world  crisis  toda\  ? 

What  did  Jeremiah  claim  God  had 
already  done  to  prevent  the  crisis  in 
which  his  natiop  was  involved  (25:3- 
6 )  ?  Who  is  supposed  to  play  the  role 


of  "prophet"  in  the  world  today? 

How  can  "anger"  (25:6,7). 
"wrath"  (fury,  AX.,  25:12),  and 
"tierce  anger"  (25:37,38)  be  attrib- 
uted to  God?  Are  God's  acts  of  judg- 
ment described  by  Jeremiah  to  be  in- 
terpreted as  retributive,  deterrent,  or 
reformatory,  or  neither? 

What  are  the  "imponderables "  of 
any  world  crisis?  How  can  they  be 
detected,  and  how  utilized? 

From  man's  side,  what  do  con- 
science, moral  principle,  prayer,  cour- 
age, faith,  contribute  to  surmounting 
a  world  crisis? 


The  Old  Tesfanicnt  Situdtion  in  the  Li(/ht  of  the  New  Testament  Gospel 


What  were  the  Pharisees  and 
llerodians  attempting  to  accomplish 
by  addressing  the  question  about 
tribute  to  Jesus? 

"And  unto  (jod  the  things  that  are 
God's" — Where  did  Jesus  place  the 
accent  in  his  answer?  What  did  he 
intend  his  cjuestioners  to  understand 
by  it?  Why  should  they  marvel  at 
him  ? 

According  to  Jesus  and  Jeremiah, 


what  tribute  does  God  expect?  What 
right  has  He  to  claim  it? 

"That  this  nation  under  (jod  shall 
have  a  new  birth  of  freedom" — How 
would  Jesus,  or  Jeremiah,  declare  this 
is  to  be  brought  about  ? 

In  the  light  of  Jesus  and  Jeremiah. 
how  must  our  modern  definitions  of 
patriotism  and  internationalism  be  re- 
defined ? 


4.  God's  New  Covenant 
Jeremiah   31:31-34;  Mark   14:17-25 

On   the  Aleaninf/  of  (Jovenant  in   the  Bible 


The  Hebrew  word  for  Covenant, 

'ith,   is  derived   from  an  Akkadian 

vord,    "to   bind,"   or   "to    fetter."   A 

"Serith,   therefore,   suj2;gests   a   binding 

or  a  bond. 

Jeremiah   31:32:    How   is  the   his- 
toric   bond    between    God    and     His 
people  portrayed  here  by  Jeremiah? 
2:1-3:   Why   is  Jeremiah's   picture 
lof  the  marriage-bond,  to  illustrate  the 


position  of  God  with  respect  to  Israel, 
so  appropriate  ? 

3:1-5:  How  does  the  prophet  vivi- 
fy the  tragic  historical  accompani- 
ments of  this  relation?  (Compare 
with  Hosea  1-3.) 

3:15-17;  18-20;  21-25:  By  what 
living  examples  does  Jeremiah  fur- 
ther illustrate  the  covenant  relations 
of  God  to  His  people? 


Jeremiah  and  the  Historic  Situation 


Jeremiah  34:  How  does  the  be- 
havior of  the  people  of  Jerusalem  dur- 
ing the  siege  illustrate  their  infidelity 
to  God? 

(Chapters  37,38,39:  Why  should 
Jeremiah  have  been  considered  to  be 


a  traitor?  What  was  he  really  trying 
to  accomplish? 

Chapter  M:  How  does  Jeremiah's 
purchase  of  the  field  during  the  siege 
symbolize  his  hopes  for  the  future? 


The  Siynificance  of  Jeremiah's  Experience 


Jeremiah     31:31-34:     How     does 
Jeremiah  contrast  God's  New  Cove- 
nant to  the  Old? 
!      How  is  one  to  interpret  his  words, 

I  "My  law  in  their  inward  parts,"  and 
"in  their  heart  will  I  write  it"? 
To  what   corporate   experiences  of 
".God's  people  does  the  prophet  point? 


To  what  individual  privileges? 

On  what  guarantee  does  God's 
New  Covenant  rest?  How  is  this 
Covenant  to  be  made  effective? 

How  did  the  ruin  of  the  nation 
drive  Jeremiah  to  face  the  problem  of 
the  destiny  of  the  individual  in  rela- 
tion to  God's  Covenant? 


The  Old  Testament  Situation  in  the  Lit/ht  of  the  New  Testament  Gospel 


How  was  the  situation  of  Jerusa- 
lem under  the  Romans  in  Jesus'  day 
I  like    that    of    Jerusalem    under    the 
I  Habylonians  in  Jeremiah's  day? 

AVhy    was    the    Passover     (Mark 

12:12-16)    a  particularly  appropriate 

time  for  Jesus  to  observe  a  last  supper 

';with  His  disciples? 

?      What    ominous    tensions    disturbed 

jthe   fellowship  of  the   disciples  with 

Jesus    (Mark    12:17-31)? 

How  can  the  act  of  Jesus  in  insti- 


tuting the  Lord's  Supper  be  regarded 
as  fulfillment  of  Jeremiah's  prophecy 
about  the  New  Covenant? 

How  does  an  understanding  of 
Jeremiah's  life  and  work  enable  us  to 
comprehend  the  world's  need  of 
Christ? 

Why  could  not  Israel's  eternal  des- 
tiny be  closed  with  its  political  life? 

How  and  why  was  Jesus  Christ 
qualified  to  be  the  Mediator  of  the 
New  Covenant? 


National   Lutheran   Council 

DIVISION    OF    STUDENT    SERVICE 

327  South  LaSalle  Street 

CHICAGO   4,    ILLINOIS 


5M-8-53 


DATE  DUE 


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